Mobile Roaming: Cheapest Calls When You're Abroad

GKeeper

JPR wrote: »

I guess it probably isn't classed as a major network but I regularly call a World SIM number with a GiffGaff phone and it is included in their goodybag minutes.

GiffGaff, no longer have this number range used by World Sim, C9 and others within their goodybags, they probably realised they were losing money on allowing high term numbers within bundles.

joeysmum

I recently went to Spain for two days and have been charged more than £300 on data roaming. When I rang Orange when I got back they said I had opted out of the cap in August 2012, which was when I last went abroad. Since the cap on charges was introduced in October last year, can I fight these charges. I am disputing them anyway as they said I was using it when I was actually asleep.

Help!

mrcamp

Sounds like you have a smartphone. See if they can work out a deal with you. In reality, your phone probably used the data and you should be held responsible. If you did not plan on using data and did not want any surprises, you should have disabled roaming data.

joeysmum wrote: »

I recently went to Spain for two days and have been charged more than £300 on data roaming. When I rang Orange when I got back they said I had opted out of the cap in August 2012, which was when I last went abroad. Since the cap on charges was introduced in October last year, can I fight these charges. I am disputing them anyway as they said I was using it when I was actually asleep.

Help!

joeysmum

I did turn it off though and have a text from my son to actually tell me how to do it, because I couldn't initially find it. And a add-on bundle for an extra allowance while I was there. It makes no sense at all to me!

Buzby

Why would you have opted out of the cap earlier in the year? It is there to stop you being caught in the way you just have been! Unless you can successfully get them to reinstate the cap and recalculate the bill, they are fully entitled to seek full payment. You phone was happily updating whilst you were asleep until you turned roamed data off.

arekg

There is pretty universal rule for money savings while calling, setupped long time ago for CallingCards:
instead of direct call, do call to local access number, and therefrom to destination number.

Now the trick is how to choose best both alternative calls:
1. to local access number - the only way (and do not let be screwed by number of offers of international SIM cards or similar): hava a local SIM card. Usually prepaid - very easy to buy in most of countries.
2. international call (called as termination) - look for service of local or international CallingCard - important thing: they MUST have access number in countries of your interest.
Local CallingCard is OK as long as you use its full credit, the international is better, because credit can be used in all countries of its activity, most probably including your own home country.


Of course I omit the whole story about how to reedit mobile phone book to make calls as usual: select name and press Call button, same as I omit no so simple analysis of how to select best local SIM card, how to set it up, how to check credit and validity, how to top-up, how to setup and use voicemail.

BTW - there is one unspoken advantage of local SIM card.
For many it may be even the primary reason: cheap data, because paid with local, not roaming tariff.

And last, but not so least: with local SIM card you are cheaply available to all local people - they call local number instead international one (and you do not pay incoming roaming charges). Please note, that this applies also to other party of travelling couple - if you were lost in some e.g. bazaar and need to rejoin ...
One call with roaming charges to other party of couple may be more expencive than purchase of two local SIMs ...

GKeeper

Not a very partical solution and calling cards are so dated, first you have to find a payphone that works, then you can bet you bottom dollar that the calling card company uses the cheapest routes, this is why the calling quality on most is so bad its usless.
Buying a local Sim in every country you visit becomes very expensive, if you visit 3 countries a year that means three different Sim cards and phone numbers, you would also have to top up three diffrerent Sim cards to keep them active, if you wanted to keep the numbers, then everytime you visit one of those contries, you have to tell people which number you would be on etc etc etc.

So all and all bad idea.

JPR

GKeeper wrote: »

GiffGaff, no longer have this number range used by World Sim, C9 and others within their goodybags, they probably realised they were losing money on allowing high term numbers within bundles.

Not checked this thread for a while (or phoned the World SIM number) but Yes, you are quite right - it just cost me 10p for the minute rather than coming out of my Goodybag. Shame.

jfk_2

I'd like to nominate this company as they've been extremely helpful with advice on best solutions on roaming around Asia and China for an upcoming trip for my daughter. They were quick to point out where I'd submitted an order for a sim card which wasn't the best option for the planned itinerary, tracked and checked my incoming orders and even tailored a solution for us. I'm very impressed.

:money:

GKeeper

jfk wrote: »

I'd like to nominate this company as they've been extremely helpful with advice on best solutions on roaming around Asia and China for an upcoming trip for my daughter. They were quick to point out where I'd submitted an order for a sim card which wasn't the best option for the planned itinerary, tracked and checked my incoming orders and even tailored a solution for us. I'm very impressed.

:money:

out of curiosity which countries will your daughter be travelling too and how much are they charging for calls and sms back to UK. Do they provide DATA and at what cost. i did check out the website and the 0044 global card charges:

0044 global card:
Calling From China to United Kingdom £1.55 per minute
Calling From China to United Kingdom Mobile £1.80 per minute
Calling From China to China £1.55 per minute
Calling From China to China Mobile £1.80 per minute
Connection Fee for Calling From China £0.25 per call
Rate to receive a call in China on the Global Number £1.40 per minute
Rate to receive a call in China on the US Number £1.55 per minute
Connection fee for receiving a call in China £0.25 per call

these costs seem to be extermly expensive, my piranha mobile card when roaming in China is a fraction of the cost:

Piranha card:
Calling From China to United Kingdom £0.20 per minute
Calling From China to United Kingdom Mobile £0.24 per minute
Calling From China to China £0.20 per minute
Calling From China to China Mobile £0.20 per minute
Connection Fee for Calling From China £0.00 per call
Rate to receive a call in China on the Global Number £0.12 per minute
Rate to receive a call in China on the US Number £0.12 per minute
Connection fee for receiving a call in China £0.00 per call


can you let me know if i am missing something thanks:)